Sheen-removing apparatus



J. M. TERRELL.

SHEEN REMOVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1918.

1,355,366, Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' I zz BY :1 x a 7/ JTTORNEY.

J. M. TERRELL.

' SHEEN REMOVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I7. 1918 1,355,366. Patented Oct. 12,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. TERRELL, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

SHEEN-REMOVING APPARATUS.

Application filed September 17, 1918.

Be it known that I. Jam-1s M. TERRELL, a citizen of the l'nited States. residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of T exas. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheen-Removing Apparatus. of which the following is a specification.

This invention has to do with apparatuses for removing the sheen from garments and restoring the normal appearance of the surface of the goods.

Certain portions of clothing as the backs and elbows of mens coats and the backs of womens skirts after a certain amount of wear become shiny and unsightly. It is almost impossible to remove this sheen and restore the natural appearance of the goods. This condition is found on goods having a nap which becomes pressed down or ironed by contact with a hard surface as the seat or back of a chair. I have found that if this nap can be raised and separated the natural appearance of the goods will be restored.

The aim of my invention is to accomplish this result without injuring the fabric and as all goods are more or less porous I have found that by drawing air through the goods the nap is raised and the sheen removed. In carrying out the invention it has been found more :ulvantageousto create a suction and draw air through the goods intermittently which is more effectual than a constant suction.

It is obvious that various structures could be evolved for carrying out this purpose, and I have illustrated means which has proved successful. A cylinder having a piston therein is provided with means for reciprocating the piston. From an inlet in the cylinder a conductor is extended to a suitable tool. foraminous support for the goods is provided and the tool is provided with an inlet so that when passed over the goods air will be sucked or drawn through the support and the fabric into the tool and thence to the cylinder. The cylinder is provided with an exhaust or outlet having a controlling valve which is intermittently opened thus exhausting the air and creating a pulsating suction. A dust collector may be included in the air conductor so as to remove dust and lint from the air current before it reaches the cylinder.- Other details of construction may be evolved.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920.

Serial No. 254.502.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is illustrated, and wherein- Figure l is a view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the Work support or table,

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional detail on the line 4-1 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a face view of the tool, and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the cylinder.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates a suction motor which comprises a vertical cylinder 2 surrounded by a water jacket 3 in which a circulation may be suitably maintained. It is pointed out that other means of cooling could be employed. A piston head 4 is mounted in the cylinder and has a connecting rod 5. The cylinder has a base flange (i which is bolted on to a crank case 7 which in turn is bolted on a base 8. A crank shaft 9 is suitably mounted at the intersection of the parts 7 and 8 and is connected with the rod 5. By this arrangement the cylinder may be easily removed or the crank case taken off expeditiously. An electric motor 10 is mounted on the base 8 and connected with the shaft 9 to operate, the same. This motor has a split casing registering with the intersection of the parts 7 and 8';

The motor revolves the crank shaft where by the piston 4 is reciprocated vertically in the cylinder. The cylinder has a head 11 provided with an extension 12 overhanging the jacket and provided with an exhaust passage 13. An extension valve 14 closes the outer end of the passage 13 which communicates with the cylinder at its inner end. The valve 14 has a depending rod 15 on which a coiled spring 16 is confined and acts to seat said valve. The rod passes through a guide 17 carried by the crank case 7 and rides on a cam 18 mounted on the shaft 9. Once during each revolution of the crank shaft 9 the cam 18 raises the rod 15 and opens the valve 11 thus permitting the air in the cylinder 2 to be exhausted.

The head 11 also has an inlet valve 19 confined in a cage .20 in the underside of the head. This valve is normally closed and is opened downward against the tension of its spring by the suction created by the piston as the same moves downward. A pipe 21 leads from the valve to a dust collector or separator 22 mounted on the side of the motor 1. This separator has a transverse screen 23 suspended below the entrance to the pipe 21 and a hopper bottom 24. A pipe 25 leads from a point below the screen 23 up through the top of the separator and has connection with a flexible conductor or hose 26 which leads to a tool or hand implement 27. It will be Seen that any dirt or lint drawn through the tool27',conductor 26 and pipe 25 will be discharged below the screen 23 which is of such fine mesh as to permit only the air to pass through to the pipe 21 and thus into the cylinder. The foreign matter willthus be collected in the hopper bottom 24 from which it may be removed. By this arrangement the cylinder will be kept free from dust and foreign matter which would interfere with its operation.

The tool 27 is shaped like a sad iron and as shown in Fig. 5 has a flat base of working surface with an elongated screened opening 29. The tool is hollow or constructed so that communication is delivered between the opening 29 and the conductor 26. A handle 30 is provided with a variable speed switch 31 of suitable construction which has connection by means of an electric cable 32 with the motor 19, said cable being wrapped around the conductor 26 and supported as shown. The operator thus has control of the speed of the motor and the stopping and starting of the same and may govern the suction of the air accordingly.

The fabric to be treated must be supported so that air may be freely drawn through the same; therefore I have provided a stand or table 33 having a horizontal frame 34 at its top which supports a wire fabric or other foraminous support 35. A clamping ring 36 is hinged to the back of the frame 34 and surrounds said frame. The fabric to be worked upon is stretched over the frame 34 and clamped thereon by the ring 36 which is forced down around said frame.

In carrying out the operation the fabric to be worked on is placed on the frame 34 with the shiny side upward and is clamped by swinging the ring 36 down around said frame. The support 35 affords a free passage for air up through the fabric. The operator takes the tool 27 after having started the motor 10 by manipulating the switch 31. The piston 4 being reciprocated creates a suction in the cylinder so that when the tool 27 is placed on the fabric air will be drawn through the fabric and into the tool through the screened opening 29. The fiat face 28 of the tool will give the same the proper contact with the surface of the fabric so that air will be drawn through the fabric and not between the same and the face of the, tool. The air drawn into the cylinder on the down stroke of the piston 4 will be exhausted on the up stroke and during this up stroke the suction of air through the opening 29 will be interrupted and thus the suction becomes intermittent. The tool is passed over the fabric of goods in a manner similar to the manipulation of a sad iron; however the operator will not hear his weight on the tool or exert sufficient pressure to iron the goods. As the opening 29 passes over the surface of the fabric and air is drawn through the latter the nap will be raised and the fabric separated so that the. natural appearance of the goods will be re-. stored. The operation may be repeated and continued as long as it is necessary. It is apparent that the initiation of each suction impulse will be sudden thereby subjecting the nap to a series of'sudden suction pulsations which it is obvious acts more effectually to raise the nap than where the suction. is continuous.

What I claim is,

1. In a sheen removing apparatus, a supporting frame, a substantially flat foraminous member carried by the supporting f nine and having its upper and lower surfaces open to the atmosphere, :1 ring to clamp fabric upon the frame andhold the same substantially flat and taut upon the substan} tially flat foraminous member, av tool having a substantially flat lower face to slidably contact with the upper surface of. the taut fabric being treated and having a suction opening therein, a high speed intermittent suction creating device connected with the tool, and a handle to effect the movement. of the tool and having means for controlling the speed of the high speed suction creating device, whereby different portions 7 of the fabric may be subjected to different intensities of intermittent suction.

2. In a sheen removing apparatus, a supporting frame, a substantially flat foraminous member carried by the support ng frame and havim its u )er and lower surfaces open to the atmosphere, a ring to clamp fabric upon the frame and hold the same sub stantially flat and taut upon the substantially flat foraminous member, a tool having a substantially flat lower face to slidably contact with the upper surface of the taut fabric being treated and having a suction opening therein, a high speed intermittent suction creating device connected with the tool, and a handle to effect the movement of the tool.

In testimony whereof I allix'my signature.

JAMES M. TnnnnLL. 

